The present invention relates to a device for heating a tap, i.e. a valve device equipped with such a heating device.
Many residential buildings and industrial plants have taps or plug valves in their outer walls. Thus, the taps are in danger of frost, i.e. if outside temperatures fall below zero and the tap freezes up, it may suffer damages after thawing out again.
In order to prevent these effects of frost, outer taps in outer walls are normally equipped with separate check valves inside the building, e.g. in the cellar wall. In this way, the supply of the outer tap is prevented and the outer tap may be emptied in order to protect it against frost.
As the outer tap usually is not emptied automatically, it is subject to the monitoring of a person. Therefore, there is always the possibility of forgetting to empty the tap due to the monitor""s inattentiveness or the inaccessibility of the respective cellar room with the check valve. And this is also the reason why many outer taps are damaged once and again by the effects of frost and have to be replaced. This direct damage goes hand in hand with water damage, which occurs just after thawing.
In the present invention, this problem is solved by a heating device according to claim 1. A heating device for heating a tap is equipped with an electrochemical converter, which may be installed in or on the tap.
The inventive heating device has the advantage that, when installed on or in a tap, it prevents a freezing up whenever outside temperatures fall beyond the freezing point. In this way, the tap becomes maintenance-free and does not need to be emptied any longer. Thus, house-owners, property managements and janitors may not neglect to shut off and empty the outer taps and therefore may not be exposed to corresponding claims for compensation.